J Cole – 4 Your Eyez Only
In 2014 J. Cole blessed the music world with his hit album 2014 Forest Hills Drive, which went double platinum with no features. This album left many fans anxious for his next project, 4 Your Eyez Only , which dropped on December 9, 2016.
This album is rather different than the story of success and hard work from his previous project. This album is not told through J. Cole’s perspective, instead it is through the eyes of one of his close friends who died while trying to make money for his family by selling drugs. Tracks such as “Ville Mentality” and the song titled “4 Your Eyez Only”, help tell this tragic and touching story, while also providing the groovy beats and catchy, yet meaningful, lyrics that Cole is known for.
Overall, this album is good, but underwhelming compared to J. Cole’s previous work. The album fits J. Cole’s usual vibe, but feels a little more mainstream than 2014 Forest Hills Drive. Tracks like “Change”, “Deja Vu”, and “Neighbours”, contain the typical J. Cole sound, but somehow still feel less memorable. “Change” is a great song with a strong J. Cole-esque mood and flow, yet lacks the notable quality of his past songs. Songs like “Foldin Clothes”, and the lack of any real standout songs on the album show how rushed the project was.
We give this album a 3.5 stars out of 5. The album is available on iTunes and Spotify.